What southcentral Pennsylvania voters say about the Democratic candidates for governor

Primary is Tuesday

Shown, from top left, are the Democrat candidates for governor: state Treasurer Rob McCord, of Montgomery County; Katie McGinty, former state environmental protection secretary, of Chester County; Tom Wolf, a businessman from York County; and U.S. Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, of Montgomery County. (Submitted)

John Landis said he's not certain who he'll vote for in the governor's race.

Landis contributed $50 to U.S. Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz's gubernatorial campaign in October. He gave another $50 in November.

But earlier this week, the 66-year-old Democrat said he was leaning toward Tom Wolf, a York County businessman and former state revenue secretary.

"He's homegrown," said Landis, a Manchester Township resident.

Landis, who said he served in the U.S. Air Force and worked for the U.S. Postal Service before retiring, said he mostly learned about Wolf through TV ads.

"I think he's a decent man. He has his own business going," Landis said, referring to Wolf's kitchen cabinet and building products company. "I like the fact that he shares the proceeds with employees."

Landis said he didn't know when he'd reach a final decision.

"When you get there, you get there," he said.

On Tuesday, Landis and other Democratic voters will decide among four candidates for governor: state Treasurer Rob McCord of Montgomery County; Schwartz, a former state senator and current U.S. congresswoman from Montgomery County; Katie McGinty, a former state environmental protection secretary from Chester County; and Wolf.

In a Franklin & Marshall College survey released Wednesday, Wolf led in all regions of the state.

Here's a look at what some voters from southcentral Pennsylvania have to say about the candidates.

McCord

Roger Lund, chairman of the Adams County Democratic Committee, has endorsed McCord.

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"I have said from the beginning that I think all four of our candidates are excellent," Lund said.

But he said McCord would be the best candidate to win in November, because he has won statewide before in treasurer races.

McCord's also endorsed by the Democratic committee heads in Cumberland, Lancaster and Franklin counties.

Earlier this month, Dave and Anne Loeffler, of Jefferson, were in Lancaster to volunteer for McCord's campaign. Both are retired members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which has recommended McCord.

Dave was a high school physics teacher. Anne was a speech therapist.

"We have known Rob to be a strong supporter of public schools, and that's important," Anne said.

All four Democrats running for governor say they are opposed to a 401(k)-style system instead of pensions for state workers. But Anne and Dave said McCord has experience with the issue, because as state treasurer, McCord serves on the boards for the State Employees' Retirement System and the Public School Employees' Retirement System.

Dave said McCord is stronger on their issues than the other candidates.

"And he can beat Gov. (Tom) Corbett," Anne said.

McGinty

Susan Delaney, of the Camp Hill area, supports the former state environmental protection secretary.

"Shes' very qualified," Delaney said, "and also, she went to St. Joe's in Philly, which I have a soft spot in my heart for."

Delaney has a son who went to St. Joseph's University, where McGinty studied chemistry. Delaney was impressed with McGinty's background. She studied law at Columbia University, worked in the White House in then-President Bill Clinton's administration, and later worked in then-Gov. Ed Rendell's administration.

And she liked that McGinty's campaign hasn't put out negative ads.

"I know she's kind of at the lower end of the polls here, but I think she's not buying into the mud slinging," Delaney said, later adding, "So I like her classiness in it all."

State Rep. Patty Kim, a Democrat from Dauphin County, has endorsed McGinty, and the two campaigned together in Harrisburg on Wednesday.

Schwartz

Sue Stoltzfus, a member of the Democratic state committee from Lancaster County, is supporting the congresswoman from Montgomery County.

"I feel she's very qualified," said Stoltzfus, a retired information technology security administrator. "And I think it's the year of the woman."

Stoltzfus pointed to Schwartz's role in establishing the Children's Health Insurance Program in Pennsylvania as a state senator and her support of the Affordable Care Act in the U.S. House.

"When Allyson supports something or she wants to make a difference somewhere, she sticks to it," Stoltzfus said, "and she will follow through until it gets completed."

Stoltzfus said all four Democrats are qualified.

"So whoever wins, we get behind," she said.

Schwartz's campaign said in a news release Thursday that the campaign had knocked on more than 175,000 doors and had more than 1,100 active volunteers. Campaign manager Corey Dukes said in the news release that it had the ground game to motivate supporters to the polls, which would be essential in a low turnout election.

Schwartz also has the support of the Philadelphia City Democratic Committee. Philadelphia, which is both a city and a county, has more Democrats than any other county in Pennsylvania.

Schwartz supporter D. Gregory Holt is a member of the Democratic state committee from Montgomery County. He said her get-out-the-vote operation will help on primary day and that she already has a presence in the southeast region.

"Many of us have had a chance to vote for her numerous times," Holt said.

Wolf

Bob Kefauver, chairman of the Democratic Party of York County, said most Democratic voters he's met in York County support Wolf.

"The reason for that support is clear," Kefauver said. "Tom Wolf has the best story of any of the candidates."

Wolf's been endorsed by York Mayor Kim Bracey; state Rep. Kevin Schreiber, D-York; state Rep. Mike Sturla, a Democrat from Lancaster County; and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Hanger of Dauphin County.

At the campaign's York headquarters earlier this month, Judith Quarrington and other volunteers made phone calls for Wolf.

"We're just hoping that you're going to vote in the primary," Quarrington said during one call. "And I'm trusting that perhaps you will be voting for Tom Wolf?"

She waited a moment.

"You will be," Quarrington. "That's so good to know."

Then Quarrington asked if the person on the other end of the call had any friends who would want information.

Turnout

Nikki Suchanic, the county's director of elections and voter registration, said she told judges of election to consider bringing in an extra person or two to help out a the polls on Tuesday. She said there could be higher turnout than usual because a local person, Tom Wolf, will be on the gubernatorial ballot. In 2010, voter turnout was about 28 percent in York County.